Tiniyak kahapon ni Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief of staff General Eduardo Año na mabibigyan ng hustisya ang pagkamatay ng sundalo na pinugutan ng Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) ilang araw makaraang bihagin noong nakaraang linggo.
Sa isang panayam, siniguro ni Año na magkakamit ng hustisya ang pamilya ni Staff Sgt. Anni Siraji, ng 32nd Infantry Battalion sa ilalim ng AFP Joint Task Force Sulu.
Sinabi ni Año na ang brutal na pagpatay ng Abu Sayyaf kay Siraji ay higit pang nagpatindi sa kagustuhan ng militar na durugin ang teroristang grupo.
“His death in fact further ignited the burning desire or feeling of our troops to end the ASG,” sabi ni Año.
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“Actually, Siraji is not involved in actual combat. He is playing a major role in establishing relations with the community, liaisoning with the local government. He is very effecting in doing that,” dagdag niya.
“But you know in war you also respect your opponents, you do not really, what do you call that, do barbaric acts against your opponent. You have to respect what he is fighting for. But what they did to Siraji is inhuman, so we make sure that justice will be given to him,” paliwanag pa niya.
Isang Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) integree na naging sundalo, bandang 9:30 ng umaga ng Abril 20 nang dukutin si Siraji ng limang armado habang naglalakad patungong Barangay Igasan, Patikul, Sulu.
Abril 23 naman nang kumpirmahin ng militar na pinugutan si Siraji ng mga bumihag dito kahit pa isa siyang Tausug.
“The ASG got hurt because they lost support from the community because of this staff sergeant who they abducted and eventually beheaded,” sabi ni Brig. Gen. Cirilito Sobejana, commander ng AFP Joint Task Force Sulu.
“We condemn this barbaric act committed by the Abu Sayyaf. He was a fellow Tausug but they still did their barbaric act. Aside from this the victim was doing peace efforts, he was not a combatant. He is very effective in his role to the point that the community will not give support to the ASG,” sabi pa ni Sobejana. (Francis T. Wakefield)
